Frederic

10 hours ago, SamyB said:

Hello Everyone,

As you all know, the Super Safari interior is pretty basic. It is indeed what makes this car's charm and reliability, but I was wondering if there are accessories out there to make it a bit more comfy! 

For instance, is there a way to raise the armrest? is there a way to add some in-cabin dimmed lights...

Please feel free to provide your suggestions and the links to those accessories 

Thank you in advance

 

Have a look here:

https://jomla.ae/ar/product-brands/miles-a-part/
 

Miles-a-part is a small company owned by a young Emirati. He sells Nissan Safari / Super Safari accessories. You can look on his insta page as well for more info (Milesapartuae)
 

Ive ordered a rear backup camera from him as my Safari didn’t come with that option. 

The portfolio is not fantastic but at least you might find some items you like. 

15 minutes ago, Frederic118 said:

Hi Frederic and all, if not too late I would love to join this ride as my first newbie event!

Hi @Frederic118  

Sure i will add you to my convoy.

Any prior off-road experience ? Can you shortly introduce yourself with your experience ?

8 minutes ago, Rafey Hashmi said:

Amazing route planned! I’ll fill up the tank fully (45L) before coming, will that be enough for the whole ride? @Frederic

No worries it will be an economic drive 😜

44 minutes ago, Sviatoslav said:

Just to confirm, can I take passengers (like friends/family) to the drive?

If you are an absolute beginner (zero off-road experience) it’s not recommended. If you have driven in the desert before and have basic experience, then you should be fine.

2 minutes ago, monkeywrench said:

Really looking forward to this!

I was wondering how "scenic" it will be? I'm thinking of bringing family (wife and 2yr old). He'll be ok in the car seat for that length of time, but wondering how bumpy you think it'll be?

Both will love it. The first part can be a little bit bumpy as we are driving on a farm track, but the second part is tarmac and gravel. 

1 hour ago, PAJERO petelczyc luke said:

Wow the new 2024 satellite view in google maps from airbus KILLS the resolution from the gaia gps premium satellite feed.

look at the resolution difference!

Very True. 
You can add Google Satellite maps to GaiaGps by adding as a custom map. 

There used to be a time where Chinese 4x4's were rare in the UAE, and the overall consensus amongst the public would be to avoid them, or walk around them with some curiosity, not really being sure as what to expect and how these would perform in the UAE deserts.

Over the last couple of years, we have seen the introduction of several 4x4's in the UAE coming from the Far East, often with a big marketing campaign and lots of bang for the buck. Often accompanied by very interesting warranty and service deals.

In below topic, the aim is to compare the most recent models and discuss their potential performance and pricing. We will focus mostly on the 4x4 capabilities, and not so much on the comfort creatures or technology.

To value these vehicles on their performance in the desert is not easy. But by looking at their specs in terms of power, ground clearance, and approach/departure angles, we can have a fairly good impression on what to expect from them. 

Of course, the real answer will only come after a couple of years to see if they really can rival with the Japanese reliability or the Jeep versatility and power. For now, let's have a look at below selection of 5 4x4's we compared:

Jetour T2

BAIC BJ40 Plus

Haval H9

Haval Dargo

Tank 300

@frederic demolderand @Faraz94 are proud owners of BAIC and Haval 4x4's, and drive regularly with us. Would love to hear their comments and experiences, and invite everyone to chip in with their feedback and opinions !

1 hour ago, Marek_was003 said:

It appears that the nearest gas station is 60 km away from the meeting point (here). @Ale Vallecchi, correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe my 50L tank can turn out to be no match for the adventure, and I have one last day to arrange a 20L jerry can ?

This one is about 20km closer:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/soX1HikBfnwUwqvC6

Still about 40kms from the actual meeting point, which is not that bad if you drive regular speed and 2H  

13 minutes ago, Marek_was003 said:

for other old people in this thread: there is another way... and I would love to try this in conjunction with some big-ass compressor to fit just behind the wheel too... The thread is here. If I ever decided to change tyres offset, I would go with this approach (albeit not as extreme as this one).

If you fancy installing a smaller type of compressor behind the spare tire, have a look here: 

https://www.nsvauto.com/compressors

The ARB  compressors are also being mounted regularly in the spare tire space of Nissan patrols.

1 hour ago, Marek_was003 said:

@OffroadPAJ, I know this doesn't answer your question, but why don't you keep the stock rim as spare and maintain the whole thing as is? I mean - it's for emergency only, so... why not? I wouldn't want to install any half-done products if these were not the best quality and stock look is somehow the most clean you can get on this car...

This mod is usually being done when the tire size changes, so the spare tire doesn’t fit in the original stock cover anymore.

Spare rim should be same size diameter as your other wheels if you’re planning on driving in 4H with center diff lock on. Otherwise your differential and transfer case might get damaged after a while as far as I can remember. In two wheel drive with open diff this is not an issue of course.

If you rotate amongst 5 tires then definitely they should be identical.

13 hours ago, Looper said:

3 convoys Yalla, let’s go !! 

Third convoy lead is in @Srikumar  

56 minutes ago, Gaurav said:

Get the chassis measured

Check for rollover signs

Get few quotes from diff insurance companies with car VIN to make sure car is not written off in past.

With such high quality mods, person would only sell if its wrecked or moving on to bigger animal. Thorough unbiased Inspection can answer those very well in few minutes, including excessive engine mods that could jeopardize engine longevity. 

Which nationality is the previous owner, as lot depends on that when it comes to used cars previous maintenance and upkeep vs abuse till last breath.

I’ve seen many guys with deep pockets going for 50kAED mods, only to realize 6 months down the line they like tennis more 😜

47 minutes ago, MUSTAFA hussain said:

@Fredericare we allowed to get others in this drive like friends and family as it seems like mostly slow pace fun 🤩 drive !?

Passengers ? Of course. But not people who are not registered as members in the club. 

56 minutes ago, Muhammad Asarudin said:

Hello all. 

I am in a bit of pickle right now.

I bought a Pajero LWD 3.5 2011 model. by checking and was using last 4 months there was no problem at all. i was going to everywhere with the car & it felt amazing. i was using same spec 2010 in Oman 1.5 year sold it when came to UAE. I never had hard time with that car. on last Saturday was having some troubles like no water in radiator (which i filled day before), oil and battery sign on together and while driving D is on but N is blinking in dashboard and car stopping and not having any control in accelerator and steering. so i was talking the car to my cousins garage the car stopped in the middle of highway (there was some cranking sound). nothing is working not starting. i took by recovery drop the car there. today i got to  know the engine is not working anymore some parts are broken inside the engine and water went inside the engine and flooded the engine ( now i know where the water gone from radiator) and the engine already repair by the previous owner  the only option they given is replace the engine. the garage is my cousins and the staffs are very experience people. 

Is there any suggestions i can get or anyone had this same problem and how you fixed it. and what's the cost of 2nd hand engine or new engine? I don't want to waste this car.

It was my first car in Dubai which I saved the money last 2 year  I hate i didn't find any problem in the before and the previous owner didn't mentioned anything because he want to sell the car ASAP  

Sorry to hear that @Muhammad Asarudin....

The symptoms you are describing are many, and i am not really sure if all are related to the engine that gave up (N blinking on the dash is more related to transmission error).

The 3.5 engine can probably be found in the scrap yards, but i think it will easily cost you 8-10kAED to get it up and running again, and hopefully there is nothing wrong with your transmission. On a 2011 there will be other things like drive axles, bushings, or other things that might need attention.

If the engine is already replaced, may i know the odometer value you are currently at?

I am not entirely sure if it will make sense to get the car repaired. If this Pajero turns into a monthly repair nightmare, your might want to consider looking at something else. They are great cars but your symptoms don't sound good i am afraid.

Another option is to take it to a shop in Sharjah / Ajman and try to get it fixed as cheaply as possible and see how long it holds, but that is really a flip of a coin.

Buying a Patrol second hand is risky, and especially if it's tuned or modified. On the other hand, the mods on this car are not cheap mods, the previous owner seems to have chosen top range brands, so it might be worth checking this one out (make sure to do a full inspection).

They indeed depreciate very little, and being an owner i do understand why:

+ Hugely popular in the UAE as a "THE ICONIC" 4x4 to have.

+ Very little electronics that could leave you stranded. All tried and proven technology.

+ Powerful 4.8 inline six engine that has good torque. Top end power is lesser due to the heavy weight on LWB model so that needs to be taken into account.

+ Big.. Out of the showroom a capable off-roader that needs little to no mods and makes a fantastic overlander as well.

- Thirsty...... 

- No fancy tech

- LWB is a heavy boat and not very fast.

I was extremely lucky to squeeze my Patrol out of the hands of my colleague who hardly put miles on it (40k) and never took it once into the sand. I bit the bullet to buy it and have not regretted it.

As ex-Pajero owner, i will happily admit the following:

+ As reliable as a Patrol

+ 3.8 is a great engine, especially in a SWB 2-Door model. 

+ Parts are readily available.

+ The LWB makes for a great reliable overlander.

- Thirsty

So, Bang for the Bucks, a Pajero is a better option to buy as secondhand, especially because many do not have been in the sand yet.  But in my case the Nissan Patrol has always been on my bucket list and prefer it in the sand more than the Pajero due to better stock clearance and handling (debatable).

Have a look here:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CtYOGGWpWSj/?igsh=Yjh6YWQ4bDNmemtr

One issue many owners complain about is that the rear axle is narrower than the front, which makes the two door model more unstable. If you dune bash on higher level it can be addressed by changing the rims to higher offset and/or adding spacers so you have a wider stance.

25 minutes ago, Aser said:

Any chance to share the gpx track after the drive?? 😇

Of course. I always record it, so I’ll add it on my drive report 

@Frans M@Fabien Monleau

Good news All !

@Vanessa8580 has volunteered to take a second convoy, so we will be able to take 2 full convoys on this drive.

Due to the large size we will put two different meeting points, but the route itself will be 99% the same.  

The convoys list will be shared on Saturday.

PS this is not a dunebashing drive, as we will be mostly using farm-tracks to drive in the area due to lots of vegetation. The aim is to enjoy the scenery, make unforgettable photos, and do some gentle wadi driving  

3 minutes ago, Juzer Talib said:

Hello @JeromeFJ

I would like to be a part of this drive, but I am unable RSVP due to some technical issue. Have already sent a message regarding the same to the administrator. 

 Vehhicle details - Mitsubishi Pajero 3.8 LWB, White, 2019

Have completed 3 Newbie drives with carnity in total, 2 Drives was more than a year ago with Renault Koleos 4wd, and 1 Drive with Pajero recently last to last week.

Confirm vehicle has front and rear tow hooks.

 Have a programable radio and safety flag.

Hi @Juzer Talib. The drives only go live at 7pm tonight. Be ready for it !  

Well deserved @Simon D!!

DRIVE DETAILS

Another installment of our famous Scenic drives! This time there are a few more challenges on the way, and we will be touching sands, gravel, rocks, and a tiny bit of tarmac. Bring your camera and roll down the windows for another Carnity Adventure !

We will start around the Falaj Al Mualla - Rashidiya region, and make our way to Wadi Sena, exiting on the Masafi-Dibba Road (90mins from Dubai).

MUST READ AND COMPLY

• Offroad Flag Guideline
• Two Way Radio Guideline
• Off road Driving Etiquette's
• Emergency details for all off-roaders
• Off Road Driving - Roles & Responsibilities

1 minute ago, Marek_was003 said:

not trying to undermine the value of this service in any way...

but why?

I can show you how a 14yo pajero's underbody looks when zero protection is done (basically it still looks like new thanks to the weather in here) or a 7yo merc parked in Dubai for the past 3 years... again: zero traces of rust, both cars look brand new when you look under. I can also show you a 5yo european import that went through 3 seasons of winter in Europe and got rust proofed right after purchase - it looks like crap...

I am trying to understand why is this service so popular here, where there is no salt and snow on the roads in the winter. Why are we saying that Dubai's weather is so bad for the underbody of cars "living" in here?

A couple of reasons:

1) living nearby the coast of UAE will have some toll on your underbody. In 2018 we bought a Pajero from a doctor in Abu Dhabi who never took it off-road but the underbody looked bad. The salt in the air when you live near the coast is responsible for this.

2) I went to Oman last summer with our Patrol and  spent a few hours driving along the coast line on the shore itself. By the time I got back to Dubai I noticed the salt already started to create discoloration on the chassis (not yet rusting), and that week I decide to take it for rustproofing as it’s my intention to keep the car for a long time. 
 

I took mine to All Terrain Performance UAE and they combined the rust proofing with front axle reinforcement (recommended for Patrol). 

Added the GPX file in attachment for people who want to drive directly to the actual desert location, or for the ones who are camping and need to find an exit track. 

Sonic_21-01-2024_124103_pm.gpx